EXPOSING FEATURES OF SOFTWARE PRODUCTS

• US 20090089751A1
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Burney, Derek, Kishore, Ajitesh, Gounares, Alexander, Simard, Patrice Y., Meek, Brian, Raikes, Jeffrey S.
• Application Number:
  US11/864,639
• Publication Number:
  US 20090089751A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/120
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates exposing a software feature to increase productivity of performing a task. A software component can include a plurality of software features in which the software component can rank and assign a skill level to an entity utilizing at least one software feature. A smart help component can supply the entity with an informative tip based on the skill level rank, wherein the informative tip can assist in utilizing at least one software feature.

Claims

1. A computer implemented system that facilitates providing instructional data related to a portion of software, comprising:

a software component that includes a plurality of software features, the software component ranks and assigns a skill level to an entity utilizing at least one software feature; and

a smart help component that supplies the entity with an informative tip based on the skill level rank, the informative tip is determined by the entity'"'"'s behavior within a social network and the informative tip assists in utilizing at least one software feature.

2. The system of claim 1, the informative tip is at least one of the following:

a singleton that is at least one of a portion of instructional data, a suggestion, a trick, a tactic, a tutorial, a shortcut, an experience from a client, a glitch exposure, an error avoidance, a solution to a problem, an optimal practice, a software recommendation, a product recommendation, a modification, a customization, or a recommended use;

or

a synthetic tip that is generated on the fly, wherein the synthetic tip is at least one of a portion of data aggregated across two or more users, a collection of data representative of a tactic utilized by two or more users, or a portion of data dynamically correlating with a tip utilized by an entity with a similar skill level.

3. The system of claim 2, the informative tip is at least one of a portion of audio, a portion of video, a portion of text, a portion of a graphic, a portion of handwriting, a slide show, or a presentation.

4. The system of claim 1, the entity is at least one of a user, a client, a machine, a corporation, a web site, an email group, a user group, a forum, a network, a server, a third-party, or a business.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a verify component that authenticates at least one of the entity, the skill level, the informative tip, the software, or the software feature.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising an upload component that gathers an informative tip from at least one entity, the informative tip is authenticated by the verify component prior to distribution by the smart help component.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a user profile that is linked to the entity and includes at least one option specific the entity.

8. The system of claim 7, the option relates to at least one of a configuration for upload, a configuration for download, a configuration for data access, a skill rank, a username, a password, a setting, an instructional data access setting, a communication preference, a software preference, a listing of software, or a skill definition.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a test component that provides at least one of the following:

an examination of a skill level for the entity with a test, wherein the test provides at least one of a promotion of skill level, no change in skill level, or a demotion of skill level;

or

a portion of data related to at least one of raising a skill level, an instruction related to raising a skill level, an instruction related to taking a test, informative material, or learning material.

10. The system of claim 9, the test component employs a hierarchy of tests in which each passing of a test raises a skill level.

11. The system of claim 9, the test component initiates a preliminary test to identify a starting skill level for the entity.

12. The system of claim 9, the test component measures skill level with at least one of a test, a series of tasks to complete, an amount of time using the software, an amount of time using the software feature, a multiple choice test, a questionnaire, a tutorial, an amount of data contributed to the smart help component, a fill-in-the-blank test, a duration of membership to the smart help component, a test taken verbally, or an evaluation of video.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a translator component that automatically enables the informative tip to be conversed and translated into one or more languages.

14. The system of claim 13, the information tip is received in a first language and the translator component translates the informative tip into a second language.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising a live edit component that allows two or more entities to dynamically collaborate at least one of the following in real time:

the informative tip;

a file associated with the software component;

or a file associated with the software feature.

16. The system of claim 15, the collaboration is associated with at least one of informative tip creation, file creation, informative tip review, file review, informative tip finalization, file finalization, informative tip proofing, or a file proofing.

17. A computer-implemented method that facilitates exposing an aspect related to a portion of software, comprising:

collecting a tip related to a software feature;

verifying the tip;

evaluating the tip to identify an associated skill level; and

distributing the tip to an entity, the entity has a corresponding skill level to the tip.

18. The method of claim 17, the tip is at least one of a portion of instructional data, a suggestion, a trick, a tactic, a tutorial, a shortcut, an experience from a client, a glitch exposure, an error avoidance, a solution to a problem, an optimal practice, a software recommendation, a product recommendation, a modification, a customization, or a recommended use.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

evaluating the entity to identify a skill level;

validating the tip through an experiment;

administering an incentive to a source of the tip;

translating the tip from a source language to a second language; and

allowing two or more entities to collaborate on the tip in real time.

20. A computer-implemented system that facilitates providing instructional data related to a portion of software, comprising:

means for including a plurality of software features into a software component;

means for employing a skill level ranking to an entity utilizing at least one software feature; and

means for supplying the entity with an informative tip based on the skill level ranking to assist at in utilizing the at least one software feature.